(13 Jan 2008)
1. Destroyer USS Hopper (left) and cruiser USS Port Royal (right) at US naval base in Bahrain
2. Various of USS Port Royal
3. Close up of weaponry on board with US flag in background
4. Gangway leading up to Port Royal
5. Wide of news conference
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Commander Jeffery James, commander of destroyer USS Hopper
"They came down our port side, turned around, came right at us at a high rate of speed. During this entire time, we were going through our pre-planned responses, in our measured very, disciplined responses, trying to warn them off before we had to take any lethal action. And fortunately for everybody involved, they turned outbound before we got to the point where we needed to open fire."
7. Reporters
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Commander Jeffery James, commander of destroyer USS Hopper
"And in context, when you take all of what was going on at the same time together, you know - five small boats swarming around the ships, threatening bridge to bridge transmissions, objects going in the water, a couple of the vessels with what appeared to be mounted weapons - certainly it was entering into a threatening situation."
9. Cutaway photographers
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Captain David Adler, commander of cruiser USS Port Royal
"We're here to offer support and regional stability, that's what we're here for, so we're not looking to start anything. What we would ask is that the other mariners at sea don't act provocatively like this, and nothing will happen."
11. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
The US Navy commanders involved in a confrontation a week ago with Iranian boats spoke on Sunday about the incident.
Cmdr. Jeffery James, of the destroyer USS Hopper, and Capt. David Adler, of the cruiser USS Port Royal, would not say how close the Navy was to firing at the Iranian ships on Jan. 6 near Iranian waters in the Strait of Hormuz.
"They came down our port side, turned around, came right at us at a high rate of speed. During this entire time, we were going through our pre-planned responses, our very measured and disciplined responses, trying to warn them off before we had to take any lethal action. And fortunately for everyone involved, they turned outbound before we got to the point where we needed to open fire," said Commander James.
A radio message threatening to blow up U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf earlier this month could have been a coincidence, but it was taken seriously because it occurred at the same time as the Iranian boats provocatively swarmed around the American fleet, said James.
The two commanding officers, James, and Captain David Adler of the cruiser USS Port Royal, were speaking at a news conference on Sunday at the Bahrain headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols the Gulf.
Tensions between Iran and the U.S. have escalated since the incident, which occurred just before U.S. President George Bush arrived in the region for a Middle East tour.
Earlier on Sunday, U.S. Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, commander of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet told Bush, who was in Bahrain before heading to the United Arab Emirates, that he took the incident very seriously.
The U.S. has said the Iranian fleet of high-speed boats zoomed dangerously close to the three ship U.S. Navy convoy which was in international waters, passing near Iranian waters.
The Iranian boats veered away as the American ship commanders were preparing to open fire.
The U.S. has released video and audio of the incident that shows small Iranian boats swarming around U.S. warships.

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